Tooth brush receptacles



Nov. 7, 1961 F. N. DlcKENs 3,007,759

TOOTH BRUSH RECEPTACLES Filed oct. 2. 1959 States This invention relates to new and luseful improvements in receptacles, particularly receptacles for elongated articles such as tooth brushes and the like, and the principal object of the invention is to provide a receptacle of this type wherein the tooth brush, when not in use, may be stored in an unobtrusive, sanitary manner, being contained in a housing assuming the form of the usual glass or plastic container in which tooth brushes are customarily sold.`

As such, an important feature of the invention resides in the provision of means for receiving and removably holding the container or housing of the tooth brush, and in the provision of closure means for the container or housing whereby the tooth brush may be easily inserted or removed, the arrangement of the invention being such `as to facilitate convenient mounting thereof on and within a wall, such `as a wall of a bathroom, or the like, so that the entire device is inconspicuous and unobtrusive, yet readily accessible for both, insertion and removal of the brush and replacement of the container or housing, when so desired.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of combined means for pivotally mounting the openable closure means and actuating the holding means for the brush housing, whereby the closure means may be selectively swung between open and closed positions on one hand, and on the other hand turned or partially rotated when in its open position, to release the brush container and permit its removal from the device.

Another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of spring-controlled means for retaining the closure means sleeotively in the open and closed positions. i i

Another important feature of the invention resides in the provision of resilient means in the brush container or housing, for automatically ejecting the brush therefrom when Ithe closure means are open.

Some of the advantages of the invention reside in its simplicity of construction, in its efficient operation, and in its adaptability to economical manufacture.

With the foregoing more important object and features in view, and such other objects and features as may become apparent as this specification proceeds, the invention will be understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference are used to designate like parts, and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view in a vertical plane, showing the invention installed in a wall;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of the invention per se, taken substantially in the plane of the line 2-2 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary sectional View, similar to that shown in FIGURE 2, but illustrating the container clamp in its released position;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary sectional detail on an enlarged scale, showing the mounting of the closure; and

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the invention.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in detail, the storage receptacle in accordance with the invention is designated generally by the numeral and embodies in its construction a supporting or mounting plate 11 provided with a set of apertures 12. to receive screws 13 Blli Patented Nov. 7, 1961 whereby the plate may be secured to a wall 14, such as the Wall of a bathroom, for example.

One or more elongated brush housing 15 are supported by the plate 11 within the usual hollow interior of the wall, it being noted that several such housings may be supported by the same plate to accommodate several brushes, if so desired. Inasmuch as the arrangement of each housing is the same, `a description of one will suffice for all.

Each housing 15 is preferably in the form of the usual glass or plastic container in which tooth brushes are customarily sold,` such a container havin-g a closed end 15a and an open end 15b which is usually capped or otherwise sealed prior to removal and use of the brush. With such capping or sealing removed, the container is suitable for use in the invention.

An elongated support member or strap 16 has an angulated end portion 16a which is suitably secured to the rear surface of the plate 11, such as for example, by an externally screw-threaded bushing 17 extending through registering apertures 18, 19, formed in the plate 11 and in the strap portion 16a, as shown in FIGURE 4. The bushing has an enlarged head 17a in abutment with the plate, while a nut 20 on the bushing abuts the strap portion 16a, as shown.

The free end o-f the strap 16 has secured thereto a loop 21 which provides a socket for reception of the closed end portion 15a of the housing or container 15, it being noted that the socket 'is somewhat larger than the cross-section of the housing so that the latter may be freely inserted therein. The open end portion 15b of the housing projects outwardly through an opening 22 formed in the plate 11, and an expansible and contractible clamp 23 is provided on the strap 16 adjacent the plate 11 for removably retaining the housing 15 in position.

The clamp 23 is in the form of a flexible strap having one end thereof secured to the member 16 as indicated at 23a, while the other end of the strap has an angulated portion 23h formed with au aperture in which is secured by a pair of lock nuts 24 a threaded end portion of an iangulated link 25. The other end of this link is operatively connected to a lever or crank 26 which is secured by a screw 27 to an internally threaded stud 28 rotatably positioned in the aforementioned bushing 17. It will be apparent from the foregoing that when the stud 23 is rotated so that the crank 26 is in the position shown in FIGURE 2, the link 25 will draw the flexible clamp strap 23 into clamping engagement with the housing 15 to firmly retain the housing in place. On the other hand, when the stud 28 is rotated so that the crank 26 is in the position shown in FIGURE 3, the clamping action of the strap 23 will be relaxed, whereby to facilitate withdrawal of the housing from the device through the opening 21 in the plate 11.

A flanged closure 29 is provided at the outside of the plate 11 for the open end 15b of the housing 15, this closure being formed integrally with an apertured lug 29a mounted on a pivot pin 30 in a fork 31 formed integrally at the outer end of the stud 28. The closure 29 is swingable on the pin Sil from its closed position shown by full lines in FIGURE l to an open position indicated by the dotted lines 32, it being understood that these dotted lines show the closure only partially open and that in its fully open position the closure is substantially horizontal.

The lug 29a of the closure is formed with `a pair of depressions 33 which are adapted to selectively receive therein the pointed end of a keeper 34 slidably positioned in the stud 28. A compression spring 35 is provided in the stud between the screw 27 and the keeper 34 for urging the latter outwardly and into the depressions 33 in the lug 29a, whereby to selectively retain the closure 29 in either its open or its closed position.

The position of the tooth brush in the housin-g is indicated at 36, and an inverted V-shaped leaf spring 37 is provided in the closed end portion 15a of the housing to engage the adjacent end of the brush and eject the brush from the housing when the closure 29 is opened.

When the invention is placed in use, the closure 29 is opened by swinging the same downwardly on its pivot pin 30, whereupon the closure is turned or partly rotated about the axis of the stud 28 as indicated by the dotted lines 33 in FIGURE 5. This turning or partial rotation of the closure causes the crank 26 and link 25 to expand the clamp 23, whereupon the housing 15 with the brush therein may be inserted in the device through the opening 21 in the plate 11. When the housing is in position in the clamp 23 and socket 21, the closure 29 is turned back to its initial position, thus tightening the clamp 23 and causing the housing to be irmly held in place. The closure 29 may then be opened and closed by a swinging movement thereof on the pivot pin 30, so as to facilitate removal of the brush from the housing and insertion of the brush in the housing, as desired.

While in the foregoing there has been described and shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, various 4modiiications may become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Accordingly, it is not desired to limit the invention to this disclosure, and various modifications may be resorted to, such as may lie within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed as new is:

1. A receptacle for storage of an elongated article, comprising in combination, a supporting plate formed with an opening, an elongated support member secured to said plate, clamp means provided on said support member, an elongated housing removably mounted in said clamp means and having an open end projecting through said opening in said plate whereby an article may be inserted in and removed from the housing, a rotatable element mounted on said plate, an openable closure for the open end of said housing pivotally mounted on said rotatable element, and means respective to rotation of said element for releasing said clamp means whereby said housing may be removed through said opening.

2. The device as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for releasing said clamp means include a crank secured to said rotatable element for rotation therewith, and a llink operatively connecting said crank to said clamp means.

3. A receptacle for storage of an elongated article, comprising in combination, a supporting plate formed with an opening, an elongated supporting member secured at one end thereof to said plate, a socket provided at the other end of said member, a clamp provided on said member adjacent said plate, an elongated housing having a closed end portion removably disposed in said socket and an open end portion received in said clamp, the open end of said housing projecting through the opening in said plate whereby an elongated article may be inserted in and removed from the housing, a hollow stud rotatably mounted in said plate, an openable closure for the open end of said housing pivotally connected to said stud, resiliently controlled means provided in said stud and operatively engaging said closure whereby to retain the same selectively in its open and closed positions, said closure in its open position being rotatable with said stud about the axis of the latter, and means operatively connecting said stud to said clamp whereby upon rotation of the stud the clamp may be released to permit removal of said housing through the opening in said plate.

4. The device as defined in claim 3 wherein said last mentioned means include a crank secured to said stud for rotation therewith, and a link operatively connecting said crank to said clamp.

References Cited in the tile of this patent 

